India’s Great Indian Bustard rewilding programme has suffered a setback in Rajasthan’s Jaisalmer after a desert fox killed a six-month-old captive-bred male bird released into the Desert National Park. The Wildlife Institute of India and Forest Department are reviewing the release protocol before releasing the remaining seven birds identified for the first phase.
The bird was attacked on Sunday while drinking water at a gajlar, a natural water point inside the park. It had been released last Wednesday and was being monitored through a satellite-tracking device. The incident was detected through the tracking system by scientists and officials monitoring the birds from a control room at the Sam breeding centre.
A WII and Forest Department team rushed to the location after receiving the alert, but the fox had left by the time they arrived. Officials recovered scattered feathers and the remains of the bird, collected blood samples for examination at a higher-level laboratory and retrieved the satellite-tracking device.
The incident has prompted WII scientists to examine the release protocol and conservation measures intended to reduce risks to the captive-bred birds. The seven birds still scheduled for release will be released only after the programme’s procedures and safeguards have been reviewed.
The first phase involves 11 captive-bred Great Indian Bustards, a critically endangered species. On October 4, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav flagged off the release of two satellite-tagged male birds at the Sudasari release site in the Sam region of Jaisalmer. Two additional male birds were released at the same site last Wednesday by a joint team of WII scientists and Forest Department officials.
According to the information available to the monitoring teams, the other three birds already released into the wild remain safe and continue to fly in the Desert National Park. Their movements and habitat use are being tracked through satellite devices.
An official described the death as a natural predation event, noting that desert foxes and other wild animals inhabit the protected area. The attack occurred despite protective measures and patrols around the release programme.
WII director Gobind Sagar Bharadwaj said predation in the wild was natural and expected. “Our teams include forest staff in the field and are well motivated. Such incidents will further strengthen their determination to achieve the objectives of bustard conservation plan,” he said.
The next step is a review of the release protocol and associated safeguards. The remaining seven captive-bred birds will be released only after that review is completed.
